brown



J. P. BROWN. ORDER HOLDER.

(No Model.)

No, 444,811 Patented JanQZO, 1891.

1%? 2/672 far UNITED STATES PATENT I EEIcE.

JOHN F. BROWN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT R. BAKER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ORDER -HOLDER.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,811, dated January 20, 1891.

Application filed November 18, 1889. Serial No. 330,646. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Order-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of orderholders or portfolios which are used in jobhing-houses to hold written orders or lists of goods while the goods are being gotten out by the clerk ready for shipment or delivery.

One type of these holders is shown in the patent to me, No. 409,827, of August 27, 1889.

The present invention consists in the combination, with a holder having a flat metal spring for clamping the orders, of a wire fulcru m device permanently attached to the hold er and adapted to be moved into position for prying open the clamp when orders are to be inserted or removed from the holder. The construction of fulcrum device which I prefer for this purpose is a wire loop secured at its ends in the spring and adapted to lie against one side of the spring in position so that the cover may be folded around and upon it.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan and Fig. 2 an edge View of my improved holder. Fig. 3 is a partial edge view enlarged. Fig.4 shows the manner of forcing the clamp open. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows a modified construction.

In said drawings, A A represent the leaves or covers of the holder, which are united by flexible joints a (I. to narrow boards B b. To these narrow boards a clamping-spring C is applied, such spring being formed of sheet-steel and adapted to compress the boards closely together, so that a single thickness of paper inserted between them will be securely held. This spring is also positively secured to the narrow boards in'any proper way-as, for instance, by punching holes in the spring, as at c, the metal thus displaced forcing its way into the boards, as shown at Fig. 5, and serving as prongs to fasten the spring permanently to the boards. The spring constitutes the only connection between the narrow boards, and thus serves both to clamp and hinge them together.

The fulcrum device consists of the wire D, having its ends hooked around and inserted within the bend of the spring, and I prefer that one of the narrow boards shall be made somewhat smaller than the other, or that an offset be formed therein which will afford room for the ends of the fulcrum.

The operation of springing the clamp so as to permit the insertion or removal of papers is to first. throw the fulcrum device over, so

that it lies against one side of the spring, as in Fig. 4, and then to double the covers A back against each other, putting such pressure thereon as will cause the spring to open slightly. in this operation is clearly shown at Fig. 4.

At Fig. 6 a construction is shown which is more especially adapted to be used with wide holders. In it the center of the spring is cut away, and the fulcrum-wire is secured by inserting its ends under the spring at each side of the cut-out portion, as clearly illustrated at Fig. 6. The ends of the fulcrum do not in this form need to be hooked; but the construction in other respects is similar to that shown in the previous figures. In both forms of the fulcrum its ends act as pivots, upon which it may be swung into and out of operating position. To give a good prying action, the fulcrum should be of such diame- So ter as will hold one of the covers at a considerable remove from the spring. I have found that a wire three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter answers the purpose very well. The

ends of the fulcrum may be, and preferably are, reduced in diameter from that-of the body portion, as indicated.

I claim 1. The combination, with an order-holder having a clamping-spring essentially such as 0 described, of a wire fulcrum device having its ends secured in the holder and adapted to be swung into and out of position for prying open the spring, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with an order-holder o5 essentially such as described, of a fulcrum device consisting of a wire having its ends secured in thespring of the holder, substantially as specified.

3. The order-holder consisting of the cov- 10o ers A, independent narrow boards 113 h, each united to one of the covers by a flexible joint, and a combined clamp and hinge and a swinging fulcrum device, substantially as specified.

Witnesses:

Enw. S. EVARTS, 1-1. M. O. MUNDAY.

The position occupied by the parts 65 JOHN F. BROWN. 

